Yes, you can get vitamin K2 from food — top sources include natto, aged cheeses, egg yolks, meat, and liver.
Plenty of day-to-day foods supply menaquinones (the family of compounds called vitamin K2). The catch is that amounts swing a lot by recipe, ripening, and animal feed. This guide shows where K2 shows up in meals you already eat, how much you typically get, and simple ways to build a steady intake without leaning on pills.
What Vitamin K2 Is And Why Food Sources Vary
Vitamin K comes in two main forms: phylloquinone (K1) from plants and menaquinones (K2) from bacteria and animals (NIH fact sheet). K2 appears as MK-4 in animal foods and as longer-chain forms like MK-7, MK-8, and MK-9 in fermented foods and many cheeses. Because microbes and ripening drive those longer chains, the same cheese style can show different numbers batch to batch.
Common Foods With Vitamin K2 (Typical Ranges)
The figures below compile peer-reviewed measurements to give you ballpark ranges. Values are per 100 g unless noted. Actual numbers vary with brand, fermentation, and aging time.
| Food | Typical K2 (per 100 g) | Dominant Form |
|---|---|---|
| Natto (fermented soybeans) | ~775–1,765 μg | Mostly MK-7 |
| Aged hard cheese (e.g., Gouda, Emmental) | ~40–80 μg | MK-8/MK-9 (some MK-10) |
| Soft-ripened cheese (e.g., Camembert) | ~30–70 μg | MK-8/MK-9 |
| Cheddar-type cheese | ~20–50 μg | MK-8/MK-9 |
| Egg yolk | ~6–20 μg | MK-4 |
| Chicken (dark meat) | ~6–22 μg | MK-4 |
| Pork cuts | ~3–13 μg | MK-4 |
| Beef cuts | ~1–8 μg | MK-4 |
| Liver (chicken or beef) | ~5–30 μg | MK-4 + minor long-chain MKs |
| Sauerkraut | Trace–single-digits μg | Small amounts of MKs |
Getting Vitamin K2 From Everyday Foods
If you enjoy cheese, a palm-size serving of a ripened style a few times a week can add a steady dose. If you like soy foods, natto packs far more MK-7 per bite than any other common item. If you eat eggs and poultry, yolks and dark meat quietly add MK-4 across a week.
Absorption improves when K2 rides with fat. That means cheese, yolks, and dark meat already come with the right matrix. If you choose natto, pair it with rice, avocado, or a dab of oil to help uptake.
Close Variant: Getting K2 From Real Meals (Practical Mix)
This sample plan shows how ordinary dishes can supply a broad mix of MK-4 and MK-7 without special products. Mix and match based on taste and budget.
Breakfast Ideas
- Two eggs cooked in a small amount of butter or oil, plus sautéed greens.
- Whole-grain toast with sliced cheese (Gouda or Emmental).
- Yogurt bowl topped with a spoon of chopped natto and scallions if you enjoy the flavor.
Lunch Swaps
- Chicken thigh salad with olive oil vinaigrette.
- Tuna melt with a slice of ripened cheese.
- Rice bowl with natto, kimchi, and sesame seeds.
Dinner Moves
- Roast chicken legs with potatoes and a side salad.
- Pasta with mushrooms and grated hard cheese.
- Pan-seared liver with onions once in a while if you like it.
How Much Is “Enough” From Food?
Public nutrient targets usually combine K1 and K2 into one total. Many people reach that total through greens and mixed meals. If your pattern leans light on vegetables, fermented dairy and eggs can raise the K2 share. People using warfarin must work with a clinician before changing intake.
What Changes K2 Levels In Food
Fermentation and ripening: Microbes build long-chain MKs during cheese making and aging, which explains the higher values in many hard styles (cheese study).
Animal feed and fat level: MK-4 in meat, dairy, and yolks tracks with feed and fat content. Lean, low-fat products usually show less.
Storage and brand: Different starter microbes and time on shelf shift results. That is why ranges make more sense than single numbers.
Smart Shopping Tips
- When buying cheese, choose a ripened block or wedge over ultra-fresh styles if K2 is your goal.
- For poultry, bone-in dark meat tends to carry more MK-4 than white meat.
- If you want maximum MK-7, seek out natto from a producer that lists fermentation time.
Simple Ways To Add Natto If You’re New To It
Natto is sticky and strong. Many fans stir in mustard, soy sauce, or chopped scallions. Spoon it over warm rice, tuck it into a nori wrap, or blend a tablespoon into miso soup off the heat. A small daily portion goes a long way.
Cooking And Retention
K vitamins tolerate gentle heat when fat is present, so pan-cooking eggs or roasting chicken is fine. Most K2 in cheese and natto survives typical kitchen prep since it is locked in fat or protected in the matrix. Prolonged high heat in open air can degrade fat-soluble vitamins, so avoid scorching.
Serving Sizes That Add Up
The table below shows realistic servings and a rough K2 intake estimate using the ranges above. It is a guide, not a lab report.
| Serving | Approx. K2 Intake | Main Form |
|---|---|---|
| 30 g ripened hard cheese | ~12–24 μg | MK-8/MK-9 |
| 1 egg (yolk included) | ~6–20 μg | MK-4 |
| 100 g chicken thigh, cooked | ~6–22 μg | MK-4 |
| 40 g natto (about 2 Tbsp) | ~310–700 μg | MK-7 |
| 75 g liver, sautéed | ~4–22 μg | MK-4 + others |
Pairing K2 With The Right Meal Context
K2 rides with dietary fat during absorption. A meal with some fat boosts uptake. Many K2 foods already provide that fat. If your dish is very lean, add a small amount of olive oil, nuts, or avocado.
Safety Notes And Who Should Get Advice
Anyone on warfarin or a similar vitamin K antagonist needs medical guidance before changing vitamin K intake. People with fat-malabsorption disorders should work with a clinician on personal targets.
Evidence At A Glance
Authoritative reviews describe K1 as plant-based and K2 as microbe- or animal-derived, with long-chain MKs common in fermented foods and cheeses. Large assays of cheeses show wide differences by style and ripening, while U.S. surveys of meat, dairy, and eggs confirm modest MK-4 levels in yolks and chicken. Human feeding studies report high MK-7 in natto. Together these findings explain why a mix of cheese, eggs, poultry, and natto can build a reliable intake.
Vegetarian And Dairy-Free Paths
Plant-based eaters can lean on natto as the standout option for MK-7. Tempeh and miso contribute much smaller amounts, often in the trace range, since not all starter microbes make long-chain menaquinones. If soy is off limits, there is no proven plant item that matches natto for MK-7. Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut contain much less than cheeses or natto, so treat them as flavor accents rather than core K2 sources.
Label Reading And Storage Tips
Cheese labels rarely list vitamin K, so style and ripening are your best clues. A wedge with weeks of aging usually carries more K2 than fresh curds. Keep cheese wrapped to limit air exposure. Store natto cold and use it by the date on the pack. Cook eggs and meat to a safe temperature, and avoid charring, which harms taste and can damage nutrients.
K2 Across Different Eating Patterns
Low-carb eaters already emphasize eggs, cheese, and meat, so their meals tend to include MK-4 and MK-8/9 by default. Mediterranean-style plates can work too: add a ripened cheese to a salad, choose dark-meat poultry, and drizzle olive oil over vegetables. A flexitarian plan can rotate in natto once or twice each week for a strong MK-7 bump without changing much else.
Gluten-free cooking offers the same options since K2 sources are naturally free of gluten. Pair roasted chicken legs with potatoes and a slaw, or bake a frittata with mushrooms and onions. If dairy is off the table, lean more on eggs, poultry, and small servings of liver, and use natto if soy fits your needs.
Quick Checks People Often Ask
Do Probiotics In The Gut Make Enough K2?
Gut microbes do make menaquinones, yet most production occurs in the large intestine, where absorption is limited. Food sources remain the practical path for most people.
Does Every Fermented Food Contain K2?
No. Only certain microbes make long-chain menaquinones. Yogurt and kefir can contain small amounts, but cheese and natto are the consistent heavy hitters.
Can I Rely On Labels?
Manufacturers rarely list vitamin K2 content. Food-composition papers and style cues (ripening time, microbe mix, fat level) are better guides.
Seven Simple Meal Moments
Day 1: Omelet with two eggs and grated cheese. Day 2: Chicken thigh tacos with cabbage and lime. Day 3: Rice bowl with a spoon of natto and sliced scallions. Day 4: Pasta with mushrooms and a shower of aged cheese. Day 5: Roast drumsticks with pan juices. Day 6: Liver with onions and greens. Day 7: Sandwich built on crusty bread with a firm cheese and tomatoes. Mix sides and sauces to taste.
Bottom Line For Pantry Planning
Build a pattern instead of chasing single “superfoods.” Keep a ripened cheese in the fridge, eat eggs and dark-meat poultry during the week, and use natto if you enjoy it. This mix includes both MK-4 and MK-7 with little effort and keeps your meals simple and tasty.